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Financial Services UK
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May 09, 2024
Royal Bank Of Canada Beats Analyst's Bullying Claim
The Royal Bank of Canada convinced an employment tribunal to toss discrimination claims from a former employee because he filed his action too late.
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May 09, 2024
Ex-Goldman Banker Fights US Extradition On Bribery Charges
A former Goldman Sachs banker wanted in the U.S. for allegedly bribing Ghanaian officials fought the decision by the U.K. to extradite him on Thursday, arguing that the alleged offense took place in London when he was an employee of the investment bank.
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May 09, 2024
Construction Giant Cimolai Settles €10.6M Forex Dispute
Italian construction giant Cimolai has settled a €10.6 million ($11.4 million) claim from Ebury Partners over foreign exchange contracts that the steel pipe manufacturer signed in 2022.
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May 09, 2024
Aviva Takes On Construction Co. Pension Scheme In Full
Insurance giant Aviva has secured the benefits of all uninsured final salary members of a pension plan sponsored by a British construction group in a deal guided by CMS.
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May 09, 2024
Watchdog Preps Rules For Banks To Repay High-Value Fraud
The payments watchdog has set out plans to extend its fraud reimbursement scheme to high-value bank transfers through the CHAPS system, reducing the risk that fraudsters will move there to avoid detection.
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May 09, 2024
BBVA €12B Offer For TSB Owner Sabadell Turns Hostile
Spanish banking giant BBVA launched a hostile takeover of Banco de Sabadell on Thursday, approaching shareholders directly with a €12 billion ($12.8 billion) all-share deal after being rebuffed by the rival bank's board.
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May 08, 2024
EGC Won't Annul EU Decision To Toss Spanish Tax Scheme
The European General Court will not annul a European Commission decision that a Spanish tax scheme for vessels built in its domestic shipyards must be abandoned because it was incompatible with the European Union's internal market, according to a judgment released Wednesday.
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May 08, 2024
FCA Mulls 'Enforcement Watch' As Naming Alternative
The Financial Conduct Authority's top executives on Wednesday vigorously defended its plans to name firms under investigation, but saw value in a potential alternative move to publish an "enforcement watch" newsletter giving an overview.
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May 15, 2024
Squire Patton Hires Partner Trio As UK Expansion Continues
Squire Patton Boggs LLP said Wednesday that it has hired three partners in Birmingham and London in a move to boost its offerings in litigation; leveraged finance; and environmental, social and governance.
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May 08, 2024
StanChart Bids To Toss Investors' Sanctions Claim On Appeal
Standard Chartered PLC urged an appeals court Wednesday to toss accusations from investors that it had downplayed the extent to which it had breached U.S. sanctions against Iran by hundreds of billions of dollars, saying they have insufficient evidence to support them.
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May 08, 2024
Reed Smith's $13M Ask May Breach Sanctions, Barclays Says
Barclays has told a London court that it rightfully refused to transfer approximately $13 million back to a sanctioned shipping company at Reed Smith LLP's request after a collapsed tanker deal, arguing that it declined so it could avoid violating sanctions.
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May 08, 2024
Insurer Claims 400 Pension Deals Penned In 12 Years
Insurer Just Group said Wednesday it has completed 400 pension transfer deals since it launched in 2012, adding that the year ahead is poised to break more records in the retirement savings de-risking market.
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May 08, 2024
Three Men Plead Not Guilty In £4M Water Investment Fraud
Three men pleaded not guilty on Wednesday at a London court to defrauding investors out of £3.9 million ($4.9 million) through an unregulated investment scheme promising to build water production plants in Australia, New Zealand and Africa.
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May 08, 2024
Advertisers Fight For Class Action In Google Antitrust Case
A group of advertisers fought for a green light for their class action against Google owner Alphabet on Wednesday, arguing that their case meets the requirements for a class proceedings order because there are serious issues of abuse of market dominance to be tried.
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May 08, 2024
Investment Cos. Ask Gov't To Settle Disclosure Uncertainties
A trade body has asked the U.K. Treasury to decide now whether to remove investment companies from its planned post-Brexit regime covering disclosures firms must make before selling certain products to investors to resolve a current misleading cost figure.
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May 08, 2024
Litigation Funder Probably Owned By Sanctioned Oligarchs
A court has found that there is "reasonable cause" to suspect that a litigation-funder that backs a $1.34 billion fraud claim from a collapsed Russian bank against its former owner is controlled by individuals sanctioned in the U.K.
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May 07, 2024
Banks, Regulators Holding Back SMEs, Lawmakers Say
A parliamentary committee urged the financial watchdogs on Wednesday to review their approach to helping small and midsized businesses gain access to money, arguing that banks are making it "needlessly tougher" to take out loans and unfairly closing accounts of legitimate companies.
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May 14, 2024
Clifford Chance Hires Finance Pro From A&O Shearman
Clifford Chance LLP said Tuesday that it has recruited a specialist in derivatives and structured finance from A&O Shearman, just a week after the new transatlantic giant's merger went live.
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May 07, 2024
Businessman Asks Top Court To Block £19M UAE Debt Claim
A businessman's family took its fight with a UAE bank to Britain's highest court Tuesday over an alleged £19 million ($24 million) debt, arguing that the lender should not be allowed to collect on debts he says are illegitimate and a result of fraud.
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May 07, 2024
Pension Schemes Weigh Halting Employer Contributions
Sustained improvements in funding levels for private sector pensions in the U.K. means that many defined benefit schemes are considering stopping contributions from sponsors to avoid overfunding, PwC has said.
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May 07, 2024
EU Watchdog Mulls Opening Funds To Riskier Investments
The European Union's markets watchdog called Tuesday for market views on whether to expand the range of assets in which the most widely used type of investment fund can legally invest, to include crypto-assets as well as risky shares and bonds.
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May 07, 2024
FCA Bans Investment Firm's Ex-CEO For Misleading Clients
The Financial Conduct Authority has fined the former chief executive of a London-based investment firm for misleading clients about cash held by the group and handed him a ban, according to a statement published Tuesday.
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May 07, 2024
PwC, EY Hit With Fines Over LC&F Audit Failures
The Financial Reporting Council said Tuesday that it has handed out fines totaling approximately £10 million ($12.5 million) to PwC, EY and a third accounting firm for failures during audits they carried out on London Capital & Finance before the investment company's high-profile collapse.
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May 03, 2024
HMRC Director Rejoins KPMG To Boost Tax Dispute Offering
A former deputy director at HM Revenue & Customs has returned to KPMG as director of KPMG Law's tax disputes teams, the firm has announced.
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May 03, 2024
SRA Warns Law Firms On Improper Practices In Mass Claims
The Solicitors Regulation Authority voiced concerns on Friday about law firms and legal professionals that handle mass claims involving financial services or products, saying that some are running up costs before they have even been instructed to act.
Expert Analysis
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How Russia Sanctions May Complicate Contract Obligations
Against the backdrop of recent comprehensive sanctions against Russia and Belarus, a review of recent U.K. case law clarifies that certain force majeure clauses likely cover trade sanctions, and that future litigation will further develop the scope of force majeure and frustration in the context of sanctions, says Frances Jenkins at Quillon Law.
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New Guidance Offers Clarity For Charities On ESG Investing
The need for charities to understand investing in line with environmental, social and governance aspirations has never been more pressing, and recently updated U.K. Charity Commission guidance should give trustees confidence to make decisions that are right for their organization, says Robert Nieri at Shoosmiths.
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US And EU Poised For Closer Ties In Tech Financial Market
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the European Commission are both concerned about the challenges posed by the increasing digitalization of financial products, such as the use of AI and new forms of credit, and by working together, the two regulators can share information and best practices, says Yulia Makarova at Cooley.
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FCA Case Failures Highlight Value Of Robust Investigation
The recent U.K. upper tribunal judgment in Seiler, Whitestone and Raitzin v. The Financial Conduct Authority, criticizing the regulator for accepting a narrative advanced by the firm, makes clear that such admissions must not get in the way of a proper investigation to enable agencies to target the correct individuals, say Tom Bushnell and Olivia Dwan at Hickman & Rose.
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UK Shares-Tax Proposals Offer Long-Awaited Modernization
The U.K. government's recent consultation on the introduction of a new tax on transactions in securities raises detailed legal and practical issues, but the prospect of a single digital stamp tax offering both streamlined legislation and administration will be welcomed, say Zoë Arnautov and Mark Sheiham at Simmons & Simmons.
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Directors Should Beware Reinvigorated UK Insolvency Service
The recent lengthy disqualification of Carillion directors serves as a salutary lesson to executives on the level of third-party scrutiny to which their actions may be exposed, and a reminder that the directors’ fiduciary duty to creditors is paramount once a company is irretrievably insolvent, says Ben Drew at Fladgate.
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The New Accountability Landscape For Financial Regulators
The preliminary-stage success of a group of U.K. lawmakers in a case against the Financial Conduct Authority highlights the significant hurdles for review of regulatory actions, but the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 creates additional visibility into the regulators' decision making, which may lead to an increase in judicial review activity, say attorneys at Cleary.
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Director Responsibilities Amid Russian Asset Seizures
Following Russia's recent takeover of several companies, shareholders may argue that directors failed to properly guard the companies' assets and choose to bring derivative claims or unfair prejudice petitions, say lawyers at Collyer Bristow.
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Investors Should Prepare For Possible EU Energy Treaty Exit
Following the European Commission’s recent call for the European Union and Euratom to withdraw from the Energy Charter Treaty, investors in the energy sector should assess the legal structure of their existing investments and consider restructuring to ensure adequate protections, says Philipp Kurek at Kirkland.
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EU Raw Materials Initiative Vital For Sustainable Value Chains
The European Commission’s recent steps toward developing partnerships with the U.S. and Argentina to ensure a secure supply of critical raw materials are a welcome recognition of the importance of mining to the European Union's sustainable transition, say lawyers at Watson Farley.
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UK Top Court Ruling Spells Uncertainty For Litigation Funders
The U.K. Supreme Court's recent decision in Paccar Inc. v. Competition Appeal Tribunal has called litigation funding agreements impermissible, causing astonishment in the legal industry and raising questions over how funders should now approach litigation, say Mohsin Patel at Factor Risk Management and Imran Benson at Hailsham Chambers.
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Gender Diverse Boards May Reduce Corporate Fraud Risk
Following the recently proposed "failure to prevent fraud" offense, companies should focus on diversity in leadership as research shows that an increase in women's representation on boards is associated with a decreased probability of fraud, say Anoushka Warlow and Suzanne Gallagher at BCL Solicitors.
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Trustees Should Take Caution After UK Pension Tap Plan
The U.K. government's recent plan to boost technology startups by tapping into pension sector funds may risk the hard-earned savings of members, so trustees need to be mindful of the proposals in light of their fiduciary duties, say Beth Brown and Riccardo Bruno at Arc Pensions.
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Factors Driving Increased Litigation Against European Cos.
European government regulation and enforcement, economic inflation and litigation funding are driving an increase in litigation, especially class actions, against corporations in Europe, a trend that seems to be here to stay, says Henning Schaloske at Clyde & Co.
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New UK Offense Will Help Law Firms Tighten AML Compliance
By allowing for larger fines and introducing a failure to prevent fraud offense, the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill, currently passing through Parliament, will further motivate law firms to improve their anti-money laundering compliance process, says Richard Simms at AMLCC.